Job 41

Job 41Contemporary English Version (CEV)

The Lord Continues

Can You Catch a Sea Monster?

41 Can you catch a sea monster[a]by using a fishhook?Can you tie its mouth shutwith a rope?2 Can it be led aroundby a ring in its noseor a hook in its jaw?3 Will it beg for mercy?4 Will it surrenderas a slave for life?5 Can it be tied by the leglike a pet birdfor little girls?6 Is it ever chopped upand its pieces bargained forin the fish-market?7 Can it be killedwith harpoons or spears?8 Wrestle it just once—that will be the end.9 Merely a glimpse of this monstermakes all courage melt.10 And if it is too fiercefor anyone to attack,who would dare oppose me?11 I am in command of the worldand in debt to no one.

12 What powerful legs,what a stout bodythis monster possesses!13 Who could strip off its armoror bring it under controlwith a harness?14 Who would try to open its jaws,full of fearsome teeth?15 Its back[b] is coveredwith shield after shield,16 firmly bound and closer together17 than breath to breath.

When This Monster Sneezes

18 When this monster sneezes,lightning flashes,and its eyesglow like the dawn.19 Sparks and fiery flamesexplode from its mouth.20 And smoke spews from its noselike steamfrom a boiling pot,21 while its blazing breathscorches everything in sight.

22 Its neck is so tremendousthat everyone trembles,23 the weakest parts of its bodyare harder than iron,24 and its heart is stone.25 When this noisy monster appears,even the most powerful[c]turn and run in fear.26 No sword or spear can harm it,27 and weapons of bronze or ironare as uselessas strawor rotten wood.28 Rocks thrown from a slingcause it no more harmthan husks of grain.This monster fears no arrows,29 it simply smiles at spears,and striking it with a stickis like slapping it with straw.

30 As it crawls through the mud,its sharp and spiny hidetears the ground apart.31 And when it swims down deep,the sea starts churninglike boiling oil,32 and it leaves behind a trailof shining white foam.33 No other creature on earthis so fearless.34 It is king of all proud creatures,and it looks upon the othersas nothing.

Footnotes:

41.1sea monster: The Hebrew text has “Leviathan,” which may refer to a sea monster or possibly to a crocodile in this verse (see the note at 3.8).

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